Ronnie Turner was an American musician, actor, and real estate broker best known as the only biological son of rock legends Ike Turner and Tina Turner, and for his role in the 1993 biographical film What’s Love Got to Do with It.
He grew up immersed in the world of music, later played bass guitar for both of his parents’ bands, and built a career that spanned acting, live performance, and real estate before his death in December 2022.
Who is Ronnie Turner?
Ronnie Turner, born Ronald Renelle Turner, was a multi-talented American musician, actor, and licensed real estate broker based in Los Angeles, California.
He spent much of his life operating in the shadow of two towering musical figures yet found his own paths in entertainment and property sales.
He is the only biological son shared by Ike Turner and Tina Turner, making him a direct link between two of the most influential names in rock and soul history.
Despite that heritage, Ronnie built his own professional identity over several decades.
His passing on December 8, 2022 in Encino, California came after a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office confirmed the cause of death as complications from metastatic colon carcinoma, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease listed as a contributing factor.
Tina Turner posted a tribute to her son on Instagram, writing that he “left the world far too early.”
His wife, singer Afida Turner, also confirmed the news, describing Ronnie as a “true angel” and her “best friend.”
Early Life of Ronnie Turner
Ronnie Turner grew up in a household defined by music. His father, Ike Turner, was a pioneering musician widely credited as one of the architects of 1950s rock and roll and rhythm and blues.
His mother, Tina Turner, became globally known as the Queen of Rock and Roll, one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Both parents were touring and recording artists throughout Ronnie’s childhood, giving him an early, immersive education in the world of professional performance.
That environment shaped his musical instincts from a very young age. Ronnie grew up primarily in Los Angeles, though he also spent a brief period in St. Louis, Missouri during his early years.
His home life, while musically rich, was also marked by the turbulent and often abusive relationship between his parents, which Tina Turner would later document publicly.
His father and mother separated in 1978 after a marriage that lasted nearly two decades.
That split ended the Ike and Tina Turner Revue but did not end Ronnie’s connection to both of their musical projects.
Ronnie Turner Age / Birthday
Ronnie Turner was born on October 27, 1960. At the time of his death on December 8, 2022, he was 62 years old.
His zodiac sign was Scorpio, a sign traditionally associated with intensity, loyalty, and strong personal conviction.
Throughout his adult years, he remained relatively private compared to other members of his famous family.
Ronnie Turner Ethnicity and Nationality
Ronnie Turner was American by nationality, born and raised in Los Angeles, California.
He was of African American descent, reflecting the heritage of both his mother, Anna Mae Bullock (Tina Turner), who grew up in Nutbush, Tennessee, and his father, Ike Turner, who was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Both parents came from the American South, and that cultural background ran through the music that shaped Ronnie’s upbringing.
Ronnie Turner Height and Weight
Ronnie Turner stood at approximately 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall. His exact weight was not publicly confirmed.
He carried a lean build throughout his adult life and cut a recognizable presence at public events connected to his famous family, including his appearance at his father’s memorial service in 2007.
Ronnie Turner Siblings
Ronnie had five siblings from his parents’ various relationships. From his father’s side, his step-siblings included Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner, both of whom Tina Turner later adopted.
His mother’s side brought Craig Raymond Turner, Ronnie’s older biological half-brother, whose father was saxophonist Raymond Hill.
Craig Turner died by suicide in July 2018 at the age of 59 in Los Angeles. Tina Turner called it her “saddest moment as a mother.”
Ronnie also had step-siblings Twanna Turner Melby and Mia Turner from his father’s relationships.
Ike Turner, Ronnie’s father, died in December 2007. Those losses shaped Ronnie’s later years considerably.
Ronnie Turner Career
Ronnie Turner’s career covered three distinct areas: music, acting, and real estate. His route through each reflected both his background and the practical realities of building a career outside his parents’ enormous fame.
Early Musical Career
Music came first for Ronnie. Growing up surrounded by professional musicians and attending his parents’ rehearsals and performances gave him a foundation that most aspiring musicians could not access.
He learned to play multiple instruments and developed a particular skill with the bass guitar.
After his parents’ separation in 1978, Ronnie began playing bass guitar for his mother’s band.
He toured and performed with Tina Turner during that period, contributing to the live act that was rebuilding her solo career through the early 1980s.
He later played with his father Ike Turner’s band as well, demonstrating a loyalty to both parents’ musical projects.
That dual experience performing in two different professional contexts gave Ronnie a grounding in live performance and studio musicianship that went beyond what most musicians acquire early in their careers.
Acting and the 1993 Film
Ronnie transitioned into acting and secured the role that would define his public profile.
In 1993, he appeared in What’s Love Got to Do with It, the biographical film based on his mother’s memoir, I, Tina.
The film starred Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner.
Ronnie’s role placed him directly inside the story of his own family. The film depicted Tina’s rise to fame and the abusive marriage with Ike that she ultimately left.
For Ronnie, appearing in that production was a personal act as much as a professional one. Despite that notable credit, Ronnie struggled to build a sustained acting career.
The film’s subject matter was deeply connected to his family rather than to any standalone fictional project, and subsequent acting roles remained limited in scope.
He continued to pursue opportunities in Hollywood but primarily took smaller parts over the following years.
Music with Manufactured Funk and Later Career
Ronnie remained active in music well beyond his acting credits. He played bass guitar for the band Manufactured Funk, an Los Angeles-based group in which he was a core member.
He also played in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles-based bands, including The Prophets, later known as Black Angel.
By the 2000s and into the 2010s, Ronnie had also built a parallel career as a licensed real estate broker in Los Angeles.
That business became a significant part of his professional life, allowing him to operate in an industry separate from entertainment while staying in the city that had always been his home.
His older brother Craig Turner worked in real estate in Beverly Hills as well, a parallel career path the two brothers shared.
Ronnie Turner Wife
Ronnie Turner married Afida Turner in 2007. Her birth name is Hafidda Messaï, and she is a French-American singer, media personality, and actress born on December 22, 1976, in Auchel, France.
Afida released two studio albums and multiple singles during her career, singing in both French and English, and was signed to Columbia Records at one point.
She also gained recognition in France through appearances on reality television. The two met around 2006 and began their relationship before marrying in 2007.
After the wedding, Afida adopted the surname Turner professionally. Afida confirmed that the couple experienced a miscarriage in June 2016 when she was three months pregnant.
Reports of a brief separation around 2017 circulated, though the couple later reconciled and remained together until Ronnie’s death in December 2022.
Afida was at his side in his final months, describing herself on Instagram as his “nurse” during his illness.
Her public tributes after his death reflected a relationship of deep personal closeness that lasted fifteen years.
Ronnie Turner had no children at the time of his death. Afida Turner confirmed this publicly.
Ronnie Turner Net Worth
Ronnie Turner’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. His income drew from three main sources: his career as a musician, his acting work including the role in What’s Love Got to Do with It, and his real estate brokerage business in Los Angeles.
Real estate brokerage in the Los Angeles market provided him with ongoing income well into his adult life, separate from the royalties and performance fees associated with his music and acting work.
His bass work with Manufactured Funk and his earlier touring with both of his parents’ bands formed the musical side of that financial picture. His parents’ respective fortunes far exceeded his own.
Tina Turner built one of the most successful music careers in history, while Ike Turner’s estate, though complicated at the time of his death in 2007, reflected decades of work as a recording artist and bandleader.
Ronnie Turner Social Media
Ronnie Turner kept a low public profile on social media throughout his life.
His wife Afida Turner was the more publicly active presence online, using her Instagram account @afida_turner to share updates about their life and to announce Ronnie’s death in December 2022.
Tina Turner’s official Instagram account @tinaturner was also where Ronnie’s death was publicly acknowledged by his mother.
Conclusion
Ronnie Turner lived his life between two enormous legacies while building his own, quieter story as a musician, actor, and real estate professional across more than four decades in Los Angeles.
His death at 62 in December 2022 closed a chapter in the Turner family history that stretched from the founding years of rock and roll through to the present day.